Assam govt to suggest holding Bodoland Council polls in December

The Assam Cabinet on Wednesday decided to appeal to the state election commission to conduct elections for Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in December.

The term for BTC, an autonomous council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution ended in April. But the election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The council is administered by Governor Jagdish Mukhi since then, as per the norms.

The cabinet decision comes a day after Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held an all-party meeting to discuss the demand for holding the BTC election soon.

The Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said his department had suggested to the government that the council election should not be held before December given the pandemic situation. This, however, angered BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary, who leads Bodoland People's Front, an ally of the BJP-led government in Assam.

The cabinet meeting decided to set up Bodo-Kochari Welfare Autonomous Council comprising Bodo-inhibited areas, which are outside the BTC. It also approved the government's announcement to accord Bodo language an associate official language status in the state.

Some of the other major decisions included regularisation of 4,534 irregularly appointed teachers, day boarding and free uniform for children in 428 tea garden-managed schools of Assam, Assam Public Service Commission regulations amended to remove restrictions on the number of women members in the APSC, remuneration of Gaon Burhas (village headmen) increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 9,000 effective from April 2020.